Finding A Way Home
by mysterymaiden7
Summary: A girl is discovered in the woods by a head man's son after her village is attacked. Set in the Feudal Era.
1. Injured

Silver's Blood Chit Challenge  
  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha or anything to do with it.  
  
_I decided this was going to be a story based in the Feudal Era, but not about Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, or anyone else from the series. These characters are going to come entirely from my imagination- so I hope you don't get too confused or bored.  
_  
OOOOO  
  
_I hope they don't catch me...!_ I found myself thinking wildly as I looked over my shoulder for any signs of my pursuers. I couldn't see them. But I knew they were there. I could hear them crashing through the trees as they chased me.  
  
But I couldn't let them catch me. I had to bring back help. Had to let the hunting patrols know the village was under attack.  
  
_Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How could they have let all the men go and leave us women alone?  
_  
We needed the food. It was as simple as that. Our crops had failed and the village was starving. We needed more food then the small patrols could bring back. So my father, the head man, had made the difficult decision to send our men away to retrieve more.  
  
My father and brother had gone, leaving me to care for my younger sister Kya, and help my mother in our home. Days passed and the hunting patrol had not returned. A short time ago, a messenger had arrived saying the men were only miles away and were bringing home a feast!  
  
We had all cried for joy and little Kya had skipped about in happiness. That seemed so long ago, though it had only been hours.  
  
Then came the attack. When we least expected it and were least ready. We did not have much to take, but they didn't seem to care. Destruction seemed to be what they sought.  
  
My home. Gone. Destroyed in the fire that threatened to consume everything.  
  
The villagers were screaming so loudly. God. I can still hear them crying out as they died.  
  
The footfalls are growing nearer. And I'm so weary. I don't know if I'll make it to the men in time. But I won't stop until I cannot take another step. If I die... Then I'll die helping the people I love.  
  
That thought gave me another burst of speed, propelling me out of the darkness and into a meadow, open to the sky.  
  
I had no choice. I knew they had weapons, would kill me if they could, but my only choice was to make it across the meadow before they emerged from the trees and killed me.  
  
I took off, my breathing harsh, even to my own ears.  
  
_Faster! Faster!_  
  
I can hear them break the cover of the trees, hear the noise of them pulling arrows from their quivers.  
  
_Almost there! Just a few more feet!_  
  
_**Twang!**_  
  
The noise of the bow is the only thing that registers as I dive for the safety of the trees.  
  
Then, searing pain. I can feel my flesh tearing as the arrow rips through my skin, imbedding itself in my side.  
  
The blood spurts out, covering my hands as I muffle my horrified scream. One sound and I'm dead. I can hear them searching for me.  
  
I shudder with the effort of holding back my cries. The pain is immense, threatening to overcome me.  
  
Anything is better than this! My mind wails as I grab the shaft of the arrow and snap it off, ignoring the stab of pain.  
  
The arrow head is in deep. I can feel that without even looking to see how bad the injury is. I should take it out, but I can't face the pain it would bring.  
  
They're moving away, I can hear them walking off into the trees, muttering to themselves. I'll have to move. I can't take the chance they will come back and discover me.  
  
I have to warn the men, before they're attacked as well.  
  
The thought alone is enough to force me to my feet. _I have to keep going._ I'm the only one left to warn them.  
  
Tears, warm and salty, threaten to overflow. My mother, and Kya. All the villagers I've know since I was small. All dead. Slaughtered like animals. They deserved so much more.  
  
We may not be able to even give them a decent burial. Who knows what those monsters will do to them?  
  
The thought of my mother's body laying out on the road for the animals to pick at, nearly sent me to my knees.  
  
I was growing weak already. I could feel it. The blood pouring from my side was sure to attract unwanted attention, as well as weaken me enough to make me vulnerable to attack.  
  
My head was already dissolving into a swirl of red. I couldn't even think straight. I just need to rest for a moment... Then I'll get back up and keep going.  
  
OOOOO  
  
I slipped through the trees unnoticed, trying to count the amount of warriors in the small village.  
  
"How many do you think there are Turo?"  
  
I shushed my friend, trying to concentrate. Finally I gestured for him to follow. We slipped away, unnoticed, deeper into the woods.  
  
"I don't know." I raked my fingers through my hair, a nervous habit. "I counted at least fifty, but it was hard to tell. They all look alike in that armor."  
  
"Do you think they're a threat?"  
  
"I doubt it. Our village is well hidden. They shouldn't be able to find us." I laid a comforting hand on my friend's shoulder. "We don't need to worry."  
  
Dero nodded, mollified for the moment. "What's that sound?" He asked, looking around abruptly.  
  
I tensed, listening. "I think they're coming this way. Split up, I'll meet you back at the village." He nodded, clasping my shoulder once before melting away into the forest.  
  
I did the same, racing into the forest as silently as a shadow. Soon the footsteps receded behind me and the noises of the forest enclosed me.  
  
_Lost them._ I thought, with a smirk. I looked around, gauging where I was. The village had to be a few miles away, I had to have run farther than I thought.  
  
With a mental shrug, I turned back the way I had come, hoping to return in time to share my part of the tale with the elders.  
  
I rounded a large tree, tensing as I heard a movement in the bushes not too far away. I scanned the woods slowly, my eyes widening as I realized the ground was sprinkled with blood.  
  
_How could I not have noticed?_ I berated myself, glad I was the only one to know of my foolishness.  
  
I crept toward the source of the sound, which had long ago stopped, and peered around the bushes, taking care not to be seen.  
  
A girl lay sprawled on the forest floor. Her dark hair hung loosely around her shoulders, tangled with leaves. Her dark clothing was soaked with blood, the source an arrow wound in her side. Her eyes fluttered slightly, her long lashes brushing against her cheek like butterfly wings.  
  
But the thing that interested him most was the gold band around her upper arm. Taking a look around to be sure no one was around, he stepped out of the trees and took a step toward her.  
  
Stooping he shifted her so he could read the inscription written on the band. The delicate, spidery writing was difficult to read, but in the end he managed it. The engraving read:  
  
If found with an unconscious or injured person, please care for them. Give them medical attention, protection, and general care. A reward will be given once the person is returned to their people.  
  
His eyes widened slightly. Only members of a headman's family, or a person with particular merit would have such a band.  
  
She must have come from the village. He thought with sudden understanding. But that didn't explain who she was.  
  
His conscious pricked at him as he noticed her shallow breathing. She must have been out here at least an hour. That meant she had lost more blood than she might be able to afford. Pulling out his hunting knife, he cut a piece of fabric from his shirt, using it to bind her wound the best he could.  
  
_It will just have to do until we get back to my village..._ He picked her up, careful not to press against her wound. Still, she let out a tiny mewl of pain and curling herself against him, clutching his shirt in her hand.  
  
He could feel his heart melt, and even though she was asleep, the gesture sent a flash of heat all the way to his toes.  
  
He shook his head. This is no time to go soft, you're still in danger in case you haven't noticed. He shifted her in his arms and set off toward the village, all his senses on alert for trouble.  
  
OOOOO 


	2. The Gathering

**Disclaimer:** Honestly, do people even care if you put a disclaimer on your story or not? I don't own Inuyasha. (What a waste of space...)  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"So you just found her in the woods?" Dero demanded.  
  
"Yes." I responded for the fourth time, sharpening my hunting knife.  
  
"Do you think she's from the village?"  
  
"She did have an arm band."  
  
"A gold one?"  
  
I nodded my ascent and he sat back to consider this new bit of information.  
  
"Think she's the head man's daughter?"  
  
"It's possible."  
  
"I wonder what the reward is?"  
  
"Dero!" I smacked him lightly on the shoulder as he laughed.  
  
"Can't blame a guy for asking!"  
  
I shook my head in disgust, sheathing my knife as the Wise Women exited the medicine hut.  
  
"She's lost quite a bit of blood, and the arrow head was in deep. But I have extracted it and giving her some herbs for the pain. Her wounds are bandaged now and she is asleep. I can do little more for her, but I will pray for her recovery."  
  
Dero and I bowed our thanks.  
  
"May we visit her?"  
  
"Perhaps in the morning. She has been through much, and needs her rest."  
  
Again we bowed and the Wise Women wandered away, muttering to herself.  
  
"Should we sneak in?" Dero wondered out loud. "I haven't seen her yet."  
  
"There will be plenty of time for that in the morning." I said, steering him toward our hut.  
  
"Easy for you to say!" He said, snorting slightly as I led him away. "You've already seen her! You're not the one that has to listen to everyone talk about the dark-haired angel and wonder what she looks like."  
  
"Is that really what they say?" I asked, entering the dark interior of the hut.  
  
"Everyone's talking about her. Is she really that beautiful?"  
  
I considered, thinking about the girl I had saved in the woods.  
  
"Even more so."  
  
OOOOO  
  
I slowly opened my eyes. I sat up, feeling the pain of my injury, though it had faded into a dull ache. I could see a shadowy outline of someone in the tent with me.  
  
"Where-?" My voice was raspy, my throat dry as dust.  
  
The mysterious person thrust a mug of cool liquid into my hand and I drank gratefully.  
  
I set the cup down on my lap, and slowly surveyed my surroundings. Herbs and spices hung from the ceiling, giving off a pungent odor. I lay on a pallet of woven reeds, covered with a blanket. I noticed my clothing had been changed, and although I wasn't surprised, I felt helpless without it.  
  
"Where am I? And who are you?" I tried again, watching the figure move about the room.  
  
"I am the Wise Women Hiroma. And you are in my village. One of our scouts found you yesterday, and brought you back here."  
  
Reminders of yesterday flooded through my mind and I began to struggle to get out of the bed. "I need to go! I have to warn my father!"  
  
"You are in no condition to go anywhere." The Wise Women said firmly, watching as I tried to stand and collapsed back onto the bed again as a fit of dizziness hit me.  
  
"But my father..." I protested weakly, trying to stand once again.  
  
"Will have to wait." She said, pushing me down and settling the blankets around me once again. "The ladies will be in shortly to take you to the hut you will stay in. As you are too weak to do it yourself, they will bathe and dress you. Then you will be assigned a guide to take you around the village if you desire. When and only when I see that you have regained your strength, you will be allowed to leave."  
  
She left then, opening the flap to reveal a bright shaft of sunlight, then closing it to leave me in darkness once again.  
  
Too tired to protest any longer, I lay quietly, trying to think of a way to warn what remained of my family. However, too soon for my liking a large group of women came to usher me to a nearby hut, shielding me from the prying eyes of the villagers.  
  
They pushed my inside, crowding in after me, stripped me of my clothes, and more carefully my bandages, and settled me into a large basin of warm water.  
  
My wound stung for a moment, before adjusting to the water and I quieted as the women fussed over me, scrubbing every inch until every speck of dirt had been removed.  
  
The removed me from the water and dried me, despite my protests, taking great care not to touch my injury, for which I was grateful.  
  
When they were done, one of them bandaged me up, while the others debated what would fit me and what color would look best.  
  
By the time my bandages were secured, a large amount of spare clothing had been gathered and an outfit selected.  
  
The bundled me into it, sighing in contentment when they finished, before brushing out my hair.  
  
Apparently, I was ready. They smiled and told me I was as beautiful as a summer flower. They cooed over me until a drum sounded outside. Each looked up, then back at me.  
  
"We must leave now." One told me. "The head man wishes to speak with you." One by one the women exited, until only one was left.  
  
"I am to take you." She told me, answering my unspoken question. By now I was too tired to walk on my own, so she helped me to the gathering of people that had begun in the center of the village.  
  
I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I was helped into the circle. I kept my head down as my helper settled me on a pallet near the Wise Women.  
  
Everyone began to whisper, as I miserably kept my eyes glued to the ground, sure everyone was talking about me.  
  
A hand on my arm interrupted my thoughts.  
  
"Put your head up child." The Wise Women told me quietly. "Look them in the eye and let them know you are the daughter of a head man. Do not sit here as if you do not belong."  
  
Slowly, I raised my head, looking out at the group of people staring at me.  
  
I looked around the circle, locking eyes with each, until they looked away in embarrassment. Finally I came to the last in the circle, a boy about my age, who sat next to the head man. I knew that that meant he was his first born son. His dark hair and eyes seemed to look right through me as I glanced at them. I looked away respectfully when I came to him and did the same for his father.  
  
"Very good." The Wise Women murmured approvingly. "Now they know you have courage as well as beauty."  
  
I blushed slightly at her praise. "Thank you." I told her, smiling at her slightly.  
  
She nodded and rearranged her face into an expression of utmost seriousness. "When all are gathered, they will ask you to speak. You must tell them your story, so that we may gauge for ourselves if this is a threat worth our notice."  
  
I nodded, contemplating what to say as the people gathered.  
  
OOOOO  
  
_Blue. Like a stream's waters._ I had wondered for some time what color her eyes were, and cursed myself for caring.  
  
She had seemed so afraid when they had helped her into the circle, so worried. But after a moment, she had looked up and stared down every villager, effectively putting them in their place.  
  
Silently, he admired the way she looked in the garb of his people. Her dark hair looked even darker in the shadows. Her light robe bringing out the pale color of her skin.  
  
Turo shifted slightly on the pallet next to his father. He hated these gatherings. Tried to avoid them as much as possible, considering he has the head man's son. He usually succeeded, but since he was the one that had saved the girl, he was required to attend.  
  
His father sat deep in contemplation on one side of him. The villagers were gathered, each whispering amongst themselves, but none daring to look at the fierce, blue-eyed girl again. Each waiting to see what the meeting was about, as if they didn't already know.  
  
"Silence." His father's voice swept through the village, each person falling silent almost immediately.  
  
His father rose, stepping to the center of the circle to speak.  
  
"My village. Tonight we bring you grave news. The village in the valley has fallen. Warriors have slaughtered it's people, and destroyed the homes."  
  
Turo glanced over to see how the girl was taking this. His father was talking about her home as if it wasn't important!  
  
She had pressed her lips together into a thin line. Her hair falling over her face to cast shadows across it. Her eyes were downcast, but anger glittered just below the surface.  
  
"These warriors injured a girl. She was brought back to our village by my son Turo." Turo tore his gaze from the girl and inclined his head to except his father's words.  
  
"We will hear from her and find out more about these intruders before we decide what action to take."  
  
He beckoned the girl to the center of the circle. A women rose to help her, but she shook her head and the women at down again. Slowly, she made her way to the center to join his father.  
  
The people looked around amongst each other, until a voice piped up, "Who is she?"  
  
His father looked down at the girl, waiting patiently for her response.  
  
"I am Nightingale. Daughter of the head man of the village in the valley."  
  
Nightingale. The name fit her perfectly. As beautiful as the bird, and as sweet.  
  
"How were you injured?"  
  
"I was chased and shot by the warriors that destroyed my village."  
  
A low murmer started up at that.  
  
"Silence!"  
  
Everyone was still.  
  
"Child, please tell us what happened so that we may better understand."  
  
She took a deep breath, slowly expelling the air from her lungs before she began.  
  
OOOOO  
  
Shock. That was the only way to describe the looks on the faces of the people around her. Horror, maybe. Fear, a few.  
  
"Thank you for sharing with us your story." The head man told her formally. She took that as her cue to take her seat. She was glad, she was getting dizzy from standing for so long.  
  
The same women rose to help her back to her seat, and this time she didn't object. She was supported all the way back to her seat, but she made a small noise of protest as they passed it and continued out of the circle.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"You have not the strength to continue on this night. The Wise Women has ordered you back to bed."  
  
She wanted to stay and see what was about to happen., but she knew she had already pushed herself too far. If she didn't get some rest soon, she might fall asleep on her feet!  
  
A low voice interrupted the women's sympathetic clucking.  
  
"You can return to the meeting Fiori. I can take her the rest of the way." She could feel the women's hesitation as she reluctantly gave Nightingale over to the stranger.  
  
"Don't worry..." He chuckled slightly. "She'll be safe enough with me."  
  
"It's not that I don't trust you Turo. I just wonder what your father will think when he sees you gone again."  
  
"He knows I hate those gatherings. But if you're worried he'll punish you, I'll tell him I made you give her to me."  
  
Fiori's laughter was quiet, held back so those still in the gathering could not overhear. "I'll be the first to tell him this was all your idea." Fiori wandered back to the gathering, leaving Turo alone with the girl.  
  
She looked up at him with sleepy eyes. "You're the head man's son aren't you?"  
  
"That's right." He responded, shifting her so he could carry her the rest of the way.  
  
"You're the one that saved me, right?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
He had reached the hut she had been assigned to. He stepped inside, setting her gently on her pallet.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"It was no trouble."  
  
She grabbed his hand as he turned to leave. "No, I mean for saving me. And for being so nice and, well... just, everything."  
  
He nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he gently released her hand. "Sleep well Nightingale."  
  
A soft sigh told him she had already fallen into the dreams that awaited her.  
  
OOOOO

**Author's Note: **Thanks to my two reviewers (so far): **suicide-greeting **(Thanks for taking the time to read my story!) and **DarklessVasion **(Actually, the arm bad was not my idea entirly. I wrote this story to enter in Silver's Blood Chit Challenge- and the arm band was just a necassary evil I had to work my way around. Although, I admit I might have liked it better if I didn't say anything about a reward. Who wouldn't have helped her even without a reward?)

MysteryMaiden7


	3. Recovery

**Disclaimer:** For like, the ninetieth time- I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The next morning, Nightingale awoke to see fresh clothing already laid out for her. She changed quickly, feeling much better than the day before, but still weak.  
  
She was worried about her father and silently hoped that he and the men had managed to escape the bandits. She wasn't sure what would happen to her if he was dead too. She would have nowhere to go. The last to survive in a village that didn't even exist anymore.  
  
Stepping outside, she noticed a few people outside. Most were working, but several children hopped and skipped about in a round-about game of tag.  
  
One spotted her and before she could react, they were all begging her to join their game. With a laugh she gave in, not sure she could hold out against their puppy-dog eyes for long.  
  
She was running around, shrieking like a child when Turo found her. He relaxed against a hut to watch her for a time, admiring the agile way she dodged the children's grasping hands as they tried to catch her and she evaded them each time.  
  
Finally, she spotted him and allowed one of the children to catch her, the child crowing in victory as it became his turn to be 'it'.  
  
"I didn't want to disturb you." He told her, taking in her laughing eyes and flushed cheeks.  
  
"I would have needed to stop soon anyway." She told him with a brief laugh. "They nearly tired me out!" She saw the concern register in his eyes and realized what she'd said.  
  
"Don't worry." She assured him quickly. "I won't overdue it." He gave her a look that clearly told her he didn't believe her and she laughed again.  
  
"Actually, I came here to see if you wanted a tour of the village."  
  
"Could I?" She asked happily.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Then I'd love one."  
  
Toru smiled and began to point out various places as they walked down the main road through the small village.  
  
He discretely made it a point to stop at places where she could rest for a few moments before moving on, so she wouldn't get tired.  
  
She seemed thrilled by everything, although living in a village much like this, she probably had seen much of the same thing her whole life.  
  
People stopped and talked to her as they made their way through the village, all of them curious about the newcomer- although they had all heard her story at the gathering. She smiled and answered their questions, laughing often and asking them questions right back, as interested in them as they were in her.  
  
One particularly insistent monk even went so far as to try and touch her when she wasn't looking. A single glare from Turo and he stopped immediately, slinking away to ask the first women he saw if she would bear his children. (A/N: Can't resist adding a bit of Inuyasha in...)  
  
He didn't say much, just relished the feeling of her beside him and wondered at his inability to distance himself from her.  
  
He noticed she stopped to speak to children often, particularly the girls. When he asked her about it, she frowned slightly.  
  
"I have... had a sister. Named Kya. She was about four I suppose."  
  
He didn't pressure her, already annoyed at himself for bringing up what was obviously a painful memory for her.  
  
She noticed his look and set a hand on his arm. "Please don't. It's hard for me to talk about them, but it does help."  
  
He almost missed what she had said, as he relished the wave of sensation her touch on his skin created. When he words registered in his addled brain he nodded and pulled his arm out of her grasp, although at the moment that was the last thing he wanted to do.  
  
What was he thinking? He had known her a total of two days, less if you counted the actual time, and he was already completely at her mercy. His knees were quivering at every smile, every brush of her hand.  
  
Being near her was going to kill him if he wasn't careful.  
  
OOOOO  
  
She winced slightly as the Wise Women applied a slight pressure on the healing skin of her wound.  
  
"You'll always have a scar." The women told her, wiping her hands off on a damp towel. "But that is a small price to pay for your life." She carefully replaced the bandages, silent the entire time.  
  
When she was finished, she stood and eyed Nightingale with a calculating look as the girl pulled back on her clothing.  
  
"You healed faster than I assumed you would." She said finally. "I told you when you first came here that when you were healed, you could leave. I have watched you for as long as you have been with us. Your appetite is fine, you are not dizzy or overly tired, and the wound itself has healed well with no signs of infection that I can see. So... you are free to go when you choose."  
  
Nightingale froze. _Go? Leave? She could go and find out if her father and brother were still alive!  
_  
She threw herself at the Wise Women hugging her fiercely as tears of happiness trailed down her face.  
  
"Oh thank you! Thank you!"  
  
Patting the girl on the back gently, the Wise Women pushed the girl away and brushed the tears from her face.  
  
"Go and inform the head man of my decision. He will see to it that you have adequate provisions and a guide to help you to your destination, whenever you decide to leave."  
  
She was about to rush out of the tent when a thought hit her. "But... my friends... What will they think?"  
  
"They will be sad that you are leaving, but happy that you will find your family again. They will not stop you from going."  
  
_I'm going to miss them..._ Nightingale thought, exiting the tent to begin the walk to the head man's hut. _Old Bayo, the story teller... Mira, the seamstress... Fiori, who had mothered her enough so that she had never felt unloved... Sima, the youngest girl, who had reminded her so much of Kya... And Turo. What would he think of all this?  
_  
She kept her eyes down as she thought about him. A dull flush crept it's way up her cheeks. He had quickly become her best friend in the village. But unlike a best friend, her feelings for him weren't always brotherly. Him, she would miss most of all. And though it hurt, she knew that she had to find out what had happened to her father and brother.  
  
Immersed in her thoughts, she reached the head man's hut before she realized and would have walked past it, had not a small kitten with yellow fur, it's head marked with a distinctive black triangle, skittered across her path at that moment. (A/N: Guess who...?)  
  
She looked up in confusion, glancing around for the cat. _Did that animal have more than one tail?_ However, she quickly forgot about the strange cat, when she realized where her feet had led her.  
  
With a slight droop of her shoulders, she entered the hut.  
  
The head man sat in deep meditation on a raised mound in the center of the room. The smoke in the room made her eyes water and she choked back a cough.  
  
She lowered herself to her knees and settled her hands in her lap to wait until he awoke from the trance and realized she was there.  
  
She breathed in and out slowly, trying to stay awake, though the smoke made her sleepy. She was about to doze off when a voice shook her from slumber.  
  
"What is it you wish to discuss with me little bird?"  
  
"The Wise Women has said that I am well enough to travel. I wish to leave and locate my family."  
  
"So you are sick of our hospitality then?"  
  
"Never!" She answered, slightly shocked. "I am in debt to your people for what they have done for me! I merely wish to-"  
  
"Peace little bird." he said, holding up a hand for silence. "I know the meaning of your words. You may go whenever it is you desire."  
  
"I wish to leave... tomorrow." To stay any longer than she already had would be foolish. It was already hard to leave, why make it worse?  
  
The head man nodded slowly. "You will need a guide then. My son should suffice. I have noticed you two have gotten along quite well in your time here and he should be a good companion for you on your journey."  
  
_Turo? Come along with her?_ That would make it harder than ever to leave, but she didn't dare to refuse.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Good, leave me. Take this time to say goodbye to those you knew. You will depart in the morning. Send Turo to me so that I may inform him of his mission."  
  
She stood, ignoring the pins and needles sting of legs gone to sleep and walked out the door and into the light and fresh air.  
  
She took a deep breath before beginning her way into town again. This may be harder than I realized...  
  
_I have to find Turo. If he finds out I'm leaving before I tell him, he'll be angry I didn't let him know first.  
_  
She went down the road looking to the left and right, trying to spot the young man. When she didn't see him, she walked over to a group of young girls, who were engrossed in a game that Nightingale didn't see the point of.  
  
"Sima?" She touched the girl's shoulder to get her attention. "Have you seen Turo lately?"  
  
Eyes wide, the child shook her head.  
  
"He went scoutin' this mornin'." Another girl spoke up. "Wiff' Dero."  
  
Nightingale mentally cursed her bad luck. The two boys could be gone for hours, and by the time they returned it may be too late to say goodbye to her friends. She'd have to forget about Turo for the moment and deal with his anger when he returned.  
  
"Thank you." She told the children, dusting off her clothing as she rose from the dirt of the road.  
  
She spent the remainder of her day visting each of the villagers in turn, informing them of her choice and biting back tears each time they tred to convince her to stay.  
  
By the time she was finished with last hut, her eyes stung from the tears that had been building all day.  
  
With a small sigh, she wiped her eyes roughly against the fabric of her sleeve, trying to hold the tears at bay a while longer. She walked to her hut, miserably collapsing onto her pallet.  
  
She wasn't sure if she was happy or sad. Her emotions were in such turmoil she wasn't sure what she was feeling. She was happy because she had the chance to find her father and brother, and sad because she was being forced to leave the people that had become her temporary family. They had taken her in when she had nowhere else to turn and had become as close as her old village had. She loved them all, and it would be more than difficult to leave when the time came to go.  
  
Hearing noises outside she walked to the door and observed Turo and Dero laughing together as they walked up the road. She ducked back inside her hut, wiping her eyes and scrubbing them with her palms. She couldn't let either of them see her like this.  
  
Finally satisfied, she stepped outside to intercept them as they walked past.  
  
"Turo?"  
  
He turned instantly, taking in her appearance in a quick glance. She seemed tired, more than usual- and her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she had been crying.  
  
_What's going on?_ He found himself wondering.  
  
She flashed him a bright smile, but it lacked it's usual luster. "Your father needs to tell you something. I'll keep Dero busy while you speak to him."  
  
She linked arms with Dero, sending a pang of jealousy through him, though he knew he had no real claim on her himself. She steered Dero away down the street, talking in a soft voice, that had him wondering what they were conversing about.  
  
He turned, feeling another pang of jealousy hit home and stalked up the road to his father's hut. He threw back the flap and forced himself to calm down before entering the shadowy blackness inside.  
  
"Son." His father's formal voice resounded from somewhere in the smoke.  
  
Turo remained silent, a little apprehensive about what he might say.  
  
"Nightingale has decided to return to her family. I have selected you to be her guide on the way back. I know you will guard her well. You must secure provisions for your journey, including medicines and herbs for her wound. You leave in the morning."  
  
Turo was frozen from the first sentence. _Nightingale was going back? And she hadn't told him?_  
  
"You may go."  
  
Turo rose and left the hut, his body feeling like it was made of ice. Frozen, cold.  
  
_It was bad enough she was leaving, but he had to be the one to take her back?_ The irony of it all set his teeth on edge.  
  
Well, at least now he understood why she had led Dero away. But why would she look so sad? Wasn't she getting exactly what she wanted?  
  
It was foolish to think she would have stayed longer. Stupid. He knew that once she was healed she would leave. He had always none. But he couldn't help but fall for her. And hard.  
  
He loved the way she laughed, the way she smiled, the way she chewed on her bottom lip when she was worried about something. He loved her. He couldn't even deny it to himself anymore. He had cared about her from the moment he laid eyes on her.  
  
And now she was leaving. Just thinking about it made his heart ache.  
  
He realized he had been standing outside the hut for some time now, deep in thought. He set off down the road, not sure what he was going to say when he found her.  
  
OOOOO

**Author's Note:** Sorry all. I'm going on a two week vacation starting tomorrow. I hope you're not too mad at me. However, if I get an immediate response from the few reviewers I have I might find it in my heart to post one more chapter before I go...

To my reviewers: **suicide-greeting** (All I have to say is... MINE TOO!), and **DarklessVasion**, thanks for taking the time to review!

MysteryMaiden7


	4. Return Home

**Disclaimer:** These are getting a bit old... I really, truly, do not own Inuyasha. Although, wouldn't it be nice if I did?

Chapter 4

_Here he comes... _Nightingale thought in relief, seeing Turo's familiar shape walking down the road. _Now what am I going to say to him?_

She stepped out of the hut and fell in beside him, cautiously gauging his reaction in the half-light that remained.

"We need to gather provisions. We'll need packs and medicine as well as food and sleeping pallets." He told her in an expressionless voice.

His words hit her like a slap. _He didn't care? Did it really not matter to him that she was leaving?_

Inside she could feel her hope beginning to crumble. She felt hurt beyond belief. But she couldn't let him know.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I only found out this morning. I tried to find you, but-"

He waved her explanations aside. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is getting you home to your family. And that means gathering provisions, unless you were planning on starving?"

She mutely shook her head, knowing it was useless to argue. "You're right."

He continued on as if she hadn't spoken. "We can get the packs from my hut, the provisions from the storehouse and you'll have to go see the Wise Women for the herbs while I do the rest."

"Fine." She muttered.

He glanced down at her, seeing a flicker of anger in her eyes. Was she mad that he had decided to help her? Maybe she just wanted to do this on her own.

_Well too bad. _His father had told him that he was to be the guide, and so he was going to make sure she got back to her people- despite his heart's protests.

OOOOO

A shaft of sunlight pierced into the darkness of the hut.

"Time to leave. Get ready." Turo's voice registered dimly in my sleep addled brain, but once the words had sunk in, I got ready.

I pulled on the clothes I had worn when they found me. I didn't even know they still had them. They were clean, and unstained by the blood I had shed. Even the slight rip that the arrow had created was mended.

I picked up the packs we had filled the night before and shrugged the unfamiliar weight onto my shoulders. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out into the early morning light.

Turo was awake and already waiting impatiently for me. "Are you ready yet?"

"Yes." Prickly. That was the only way to describe his mood. He had been so friendly, so caring, just a night ago. Now he couldn't have cared less if a demon had eaten me.

That hurt. Maybe worse than if I had been eaten.

Keeping my head down I walked toward him. When I reached him he cleared his throat, forcing me to look up at him and see what he wanted.

"This trip will take at least a day. We don't know where your family is or even-"

_If they're still alive. _I finished silently.

"Anyway, just stick with me and don't go running off. Those bandits are still around, and although I don't think we'll run into them, we need to be cautious."

Silently she nodded, not allowing herself to open her mouth and blurt out something that would only confuse him and ultimately end up hurting her.

They left the village then, trudging to the edge of the forest and into the shadows beyond.

She glanced back for one last look at the place that had become like a second home to her, and a single tear ran down her cheek as she turned and followed Turo into the trees.

"So where exactly are we headed?" She asked, catching up to him.

"You said the men were a few miles from your village. So if we head in the direction that you assumed they were in, we should meet up with them eventually." His tone made it all too clear that he wasn't sure if she was correct about the direction they should be heading in.

She stifled an angry retort, reminding herself that this was the only way she would get back to her father, and after all, this hadn't been his idea. So instead of slugging him like she felt like doing, she clenched her hands into fists at her sides, her nails digging deep into her palms.

"Okay."

They continued on in silence, silently seething at each other, although neither would acknowledge the unspoken anger between them. They acted calm and cool, but both were inwardly arguing with themselves.

They didn't stop for a break until the sun was high in the sky. Turo went to scout ahead and make sure no one was in the area. They hadn't encountered anyone, yet. They were still being cautious, reminded continually of the presence of bandits in the woods by the occasional sign. Burned out areas of the forest, weapons, blood, and once a body. It was already decomposing by the time they discovered it, so there was no way to know if it was a bandit or a villager.

Nightingale sat on a rock, waiting for him to return, silently rubbing her aching feet and trying to ignore the similar pang in her side. She wanted to catch her breath before he made it back and noticed her discomfort. Despite his avoidance of her, she still wanted to keep up, and appearing weak did not seem like a good idea.

She slipped her feet back into the shoes she had been wearing and sat up, grabbing her pack to search for some food.

When he returned she was sitting cross-legged on the same rock, chewing on a fresh piece of bread with a thoughtful expression on her face.

His heart gave a little flutter, which he purposely ignored and he slung his pack to the ground, searching for some food as well.

They ate silently, and he couldn't help but think that this journey would have been more enjoyable if they would talk instead of acting as if they were strangers.

However, his pride wouldn't allow him to be the first to apologize. _If she's going to act this way, why should I care? _But he did. And no amount of rationalizing could make him think otherwise.

A gentle touch on his arm stirred him form his thoughts.

"Are you ready?"

He quickly shoved the rest of his food into his mouth and packed what was left of it away, before giving her a brief nod of assent. She returned to the rock and gathered her bag, returning to the other side of the clearing to wait for him to lead the way.

He headed off in the same direction they had been traveling since morning, carefully avoiding the areas he knew contained bodies. They had come closer to her village than he wanted to.

He wished he had had the foresight to scout ahead before they reached the first body. Her expression when she had seen it, that mixture of sadness and anger had made him want to grab her into a tight embrace and not let go again.

He had quelled the feeling by taking her hand and leading her in a wide berth around the area. Once they were away from it, he had dropped her hand, barely resisting the urge to keep it enclosed in his.

Since then, he had discretely kept an eye out for any signs of the bandits, keeping her away from the evidence of their malicious demeanors. While she rested, he had taken the opportunity to check for any sign of the bandits- or their work. He had made sure to check anything that looked remotely suspicious, mostly to calm his own worry for her safety.

Now he easily led her on a winding path through the forest, making sure to avoid anything he had previously spotted. Finally, they reached a wide meadow that cut a path directly through the forest, sunlight streaming down through the broken canopy of trees.

He could feel her tense beside him and looked down at her. Her eyes were blank as she answered his unspoken question.

"This is where they shot me. Why didn't you tell me we were so near my village?"

This was a question he desperately wanted to avoid as she turned her searching eyes on him, the hurt in their depths evident.

"I just... I thought..."

Her mounting frustration finally broke through the thin amount of patience she still had left. "I'm not a child! I can handle this! Look, I know you don't want to be here, just go back to the village and I'll go on myself!"

"Is that what you really think?" He asked, his patience also at the breaking point. "That I don't care? That I took you all the way out here because I want to get rid of you?"

"Well isn't it? I know you were nice to me at the village, but ever since we left you've been acting like a complete demon! You don't even talk to me anymore!"

"Me? What about you and your stupid-" He broke off as they both realized how close they had gotten. In the heat of their anger, they had drawn closer until only the barest inch separated them from each other.

Her face flooded with heat and she knew she was blushing. She started to pull away, but he caught her elbow, keeping her where she was.

"Turo?" She managed in a voice that sounded too breathless to be hers, "What are you-"

His lips pressed against hers, quieting the last of her protests. His arms encircled her, pulling her closer, closing the minuscule distance between them. Her arms went around his neck and she helplessly pulled him closer, returning the kiss with as much feeling as she could muster.

When they finally pulled away from each other, her eyes were wide with shock. He gently set her back on her feet, but refused to relinquish his grip on her waist. Which was just as well, because she wasn't sure she could stand, considering her legs were quivering.

_Stop it! _She demanded of her body. This wasn't the first time she had ever been kissed- she had had quite a long relationship with Quin, a boy from her village, until she had found out he was secretly meeting Yama behind the storage barns. But no kiss had ever shaken her like this one.

From the look he was giving her as he watched her expression he was feeling much the same thing. She unwound her arms from around his neck and pushed his hands down off her waist before taking a shaky step back. His small noise of protest as she backed away had her stomach fluttering.

"So you didn't really want me to leave?" Her voice seemed fine now, no longer the murmuring whisper it had been.

"Of course not." Against her quiet protests, he stepped forward and captured her in his arms once again, pulling her back into his embrace.

She didn't think she could pull away again, even if she had wanted to. So she surrendered, pressing her face against his shoulder and relishing the sweet warmth of his hold on her.

"And you didn't purposely not tell me you were leaving?" He asked her, burying his face in her soft hair.

She shook her head slowly, not willing to move from this position just yet. He pulled one arm away from her and brushed her hair back from her face, cupping her cheek in his hand.

"It nearly killed me when my father said you were going to leave. I thought you didn't want to stay any longer because you didn't care anymore."

She rose on her tiptoes and kissed him fiercely, erasing any doubt from his mind about her intentions.

When they finally drew back to breath, she explained quietly, "I just need to find my father and brother. I have to know if they're okay. Can you understand that?"

He nodded and finally drew back from her. "We should go if we want to make enough ground by nightfall. We've already been here too long. It's a wonder no one spotted us."

She shakily nodded her understanding and followed him into the trees, her mind and heart tied in knots.

OOOOO

**Author's Note: **I'm back! I hope none of you are too angry with me. I did tell you I would be gone for two weeks. I hope my fluffy little chapter will make you all feel better. I love fluff... It took me a while to get around to it though.

Thanks to my reviewers: **suicide-greeting**, **DarklessVasion**, **Caphriel **(It's nice to know someone's looking out for my errors. I always make a few, no matter how many times I check the story before I post it. Believe it or not, I didn't even know about until someone mentioned it in a review. If I had known, this story would be there, instead of here.), and **FieryDemonFox **(Thanks for taking the time to review my story! It's nice to know my work is appreciated!)

MysteryMaiden7


	5. Sleeping Beauty

Disclaimer: _...looks around... _Nope. Still don't own Inuyasha.

Chapter 5

The wind whispered silently through the trees as Turo and Nightingale crept to the edge of the meadow. Their footsteps were the only sound they heard. Not even a bird-call echoed through the trees. It was almost eerily silent.

As they reached the edge of the tree-cover, Turo motioned Nightingale back, before easing out into the open himself. He crouched, looking at the trees surrounding the meadow, before scampering across and waving at Nightingale to do the same.

She took even longer, ducking and crawling- although he couldn't blame her. She had been shot and almost killed here. He would do the same in her position.

When she finally joined him on the other side, he took her hand and they melted away into the underbrush.

OOOOO

"Sir." A man wearing earth-colored clothing eased out of the foliage- as good as invisible in the plant covered surroundings.

"Yes?" A man stirred from the branches of a tree. His leafy green clothing keeping him from being spotted by all but those with the sharpest eyes. Or people who knew what they were looking for.

"Sir, we just spotted the girl. The one that got away during the village raid. She was accompanied by a boy- we don't think he's from the same village."

"So?"

"Sir... If we allow her to get away..."

"Yes, yes. Take a group of men and hunt her down. Kill the boy. Bring the girl back alive- if possible. If it's not..." He made a single slashing motion across his throat.

With a malicious grin, the other man slid back into the trees.

The man in the trees leaned back against the trunk, fingering the handle of his sword. Idiots. He wouldn't have had a problem at all if those morons had finished the job right the first time.

It was a simple job, or it should have been. Retrieve the girl that had gotten away. Easy. He sent some men after her expecting the job to get done. It hadn't.

They had come back claiming that they had shot her. That she was dead. They hadn't even bothered to check. Arrogant fools. He had immediately sent them back to get the body, knowing that if anyone came on it, they would be alerted to what was going on.

They had returned without it. Blood was everywhere, they protested. She must have been carried off by a wild animal.

Failures. Incompetent idiots. He didn't tolerate failure in his organization. Failure meant death, for him and the other men. So he had... removed the problem. He grinned, sliding his thumb over the hilt of his sword.

But still another problem remained. It was possible the girl had been carried off by a demon or another animal. Possible, but not likely. So he had searched. Ordered his people to be on guard as they packed up their ill-gotten gains.

He knew that every day he lingered there was a better chance of discovery, or attack. But still he stayed, hoping that the girl had perished, and had not managed to alert the others to their presence.

He frowned. If she was headed for the men, she would meet them soon enough. He needed to stop her before she reached them. He had no desire to fight the brunt of the village fighting force.

Her companion was nothing. Just a casualty. But she posed a threat to their success here. And that he couldn't allow.

OOOOO

"Turo?" Nightingale gasped, pulling herself over yet another tree-stump.

Turo looked back with a slight frown that instantly changed to concern as he caught sight of her haggard face.

He swore mentally. He had pushed too hard. He knew he shouldn't have, but with the threat of the bandits constantly hanging over them, he had moved too quickly- and now she was paying for it.

She noted that he had stopped before she eased to her knees, taking in deep breaths as fast as her lungs would allow.

He instantly walked back and crouched next to her as her breathing slowed, then evened out.

"Are you all right? I'm sorry I pushed, I'm just..."

She silenced him by setting one of her fingers against his lips. "Don't worry. I understand." She removed her finger with a slight blush.

He stood quickly, trying to get her smell out of his senses. She smelled like flowers, even though they had been walking through the woods all morning. The urge to pick her up and kiss her again was nearly overwhelming. With a supreme effort he managed to shove it aside and concentrate on her breathing rather than her lips.

"We'll rest here for the time being."

He paced away a few steps in order to give them both some room.

Nightingale let the ache in her side fade before she forced herself to her feet, ignoring the stabbing pain in the backs of both her legs.

She shifted to remove her pack and gasped involuntarily as pain lanced in between her shoulder blades.

Turo winced. He had managed not to react when she had released tiny mewls of distress when she stood, but this would kill him if he tried to ignore it.

He turned and moved back toward her, helping her ease the pack off her aching shoulders.

He set it down on the ground and urged her back into a sitting position. He placed himself behind her, leaning his back against a tree as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Turo? What are you-?" She broke off with a gasp as he began to massage her shoulders and back.

It felt so good after such a long walk that she couldn't find it in herself to ask him to stop. With no protests heard, he continued to knead away the tension in her muscles with gentle pressure from his hands and thumbs.

She arched slightly into his touch, allowing him to move farther down her back.

As he pressed his hands into her back, he continued a tirade of angry remarks directed mainly at himself. He shouldn't have pushed so hard, she was hurt now and it was his fault.

Every thought slipped from his mind as she started to sigh, each tiny exclamation passing her lips as he kneaded her back.

He took his cues from these breathy whispers and pressed harder at the spots that most needed his attention.

She was so relaxed by the time he finished, that her eyes had drifted shut and her body had sagged against his.

Instead of waking her, he lightly ran his fingers up her arms, tracing her smooth skin to the shoulder blade and back down again.

Finally, he shifted, settling his arms around her more firmly and started to lift himsef off the ground in order to place her in her bed.

"Don't..." Her sleepy demand caught him by surprise and he returned to a sitting position. She snuggled her face deeper into his shoulder, breathing in his scent.

She pressed one of her hands against his shirt front, as if in that tiny motion she could hold him there. "Don't move- okay?"

He relaxed, his hands returning to their previous activity, trailing his fingertips lightly up her arms.

"Mmmm..." Her fingers began to knead in tiny circles. He lightly stroked her bare arms until she feel into a gentle sleep.

Careful not to disturb her, he leaned over and snagged the closest blanket, dragging it around the both of them.

He looked down into her softly sleeping face and gently brushed away a whisp of hair that had escaped her careful braid, letting his fingers linger on her cheek for just a moment.

He shouldn't get involved with her. He knew that. As soon as she met up with her village, she would be gone.

Involved? A rueful smile crept over his features. That was putting it mildly. He had been falling for her from the moment he had met her, alone and hurt in the woods.

And he had just hit rock bottom- hard.

OOOOO

**Author's Note: **Mmmm... You have to appreciate some good fluff when you read it. This chapter wasn't supposed to be so mushy, but then again, the characters have their on ideas- and who am I to stand in the way?

To my absolutely astounding, amazing, interesting reviewers (!): I love and appreciate you all! Keep the reviews coming!

MysteryMaiden7


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